News & Events

Penn State York Baseball is about more than Winning

Jeff Barkdoll is the new baseball coach at Penn State York.

4/3/2014 —

For Jeff Barkdoll, Penn State York’s new baseball coach, baseball is about more than winning. Barkdoll took over the head coaching position this year and has already helped organize some experiences for the team that haven’t happened in the past. The York team traveled to Florida during spring break and was able to get in five games and practices that wouldn’t have happened with the severe winter that hit Pennsylvania this year.

Barkdoll’s passion for baseball comes from a true love of the game, thanks to the great experiences, lifelong friends he’s made, and the many life lessons learned while playing and coaching. For him, the head coach position at York was just the ticket.

“I have had the privilege of coaching at various levels and I have always tried to display my personal love of the game and share the positive experiences in a way that perhaps ignites the same in younger players, so they too grow from the game as I did,” said Barkdoll. “When this position was presented to me, I was immediately interested as it provides the opportunity to do just that and to teach the game, while at the same time perhaps to continue the process of building a strong baseball team.”

Barkdoll, 53, brings more than 35 years of baseball experience to Penn State York, both as a player and coach. His most recent positions include coaching at the high school level since 1996 and manager of the York Township Baseball Club in the Susquehanna Baseball League since 2011. He also held a coaching position with the York Revolution professional baseball club of the Atlantic League of professional baseball from 2009-10. He has also served as an assistant in the girls’ basketball program at Dallastown High School for many years and currently serves as the head junior varsity coach in the boys’ basketball program.

As mentioned earlier, winning is always a goal for any coach, but Barkdoll wants to be sure that he provides student-athletes with the very best baseball program possible. Building on fundamentals, making sure players are conditioned physically and mentally, and treating others and those within the baseball family with respect are qualities Barkdoll works for with every player and other members of the team. He believes that by building on these qualities, goals will be reached and good things will happen.

“I want the players I coach to look back on their time in our program as something that was meaningful to them and to be something that they can be proud of, and that they too can say they are perhaps a little more well-rounded and maybe just a little more prepared to handle the ups and downs of life as a result of their participation,” Barkdoll said.

A native of York, Pa., Barkdoll and his wife, Beth, are the proud parents of two daughters who are both married. He is also happy to share that he and his wife are now grandparents.

To learn more about the baseball program and other teams at Penn State York, visit the website at www.sports.yk.psu.edu. Individuals interested in talking about baseball at York should contact Barkdoll at (717) 487-6734 or via email at jbd53@psu.edu.

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